ALLAN WINNINGTON ’ is the German to ich — Franz-Josef Strauss — n butcher’s son, Bonn : Minister, a man who drops a brick except to act the victim from spotting host universally forecast as xt Chancellor, Herr Strauss astute and dangerous § apparent brickdropping yon him a spurious reputa- for speaking his mind, a )which Herr Strauss seldom ‘in public. } complains that nobody is able to grasp his views ‘nuclear weapons. This is ul. To get at Herr Strauss’ have to read his 4 are much, much ker. But to understand them must never forget that two | wars were started from book, “The Grand Design,” n compared with Hitler’s mmatic “Mein Kampf.” an over-simplification, Herr Strauss knows 9 adapt the German im- slogans to present-day more subtly than Hitler f like “Mein Kampf,” “Thc | Design” lays down the 4 of West German im- m and is similarly based ti-Sovietism and possible pment only by war. f Strauss’ grand design is States of Europe, a ful new State confrontin’ a and the Soviet Union as 3 new power bloc must own nuclear deterrent hich, Strauss says bluntly, Many does not want atomic a E By JOHN MOSS Muld West Germany lay its on the nuclear material to ombs? ld divert plutonium pro- d in its nuclear power sta- but is barred from doing r a West European Union and there is no evidence plans to use the modest available in this way. y case, plutonium is not as y for making H-bombs as is ily one part in 140 of natural ium consists of the fissile pe uranium 235, and for tive explosions this must be ly separated from the more ful uranium 238 isotope. ith isotopes have the same ical properties because they he same element. The only Mm which they can be separ- to use their very slight ce in weight. iods of doing this are ex- 2 and use a lot of electric- ‘ . Separation since the atomic weapons were made U.S. has been by large plants, where uranium form of a hc:, poisonous osive gas is passed membranes and, on the nciple that can be used ting salt water from rman politician around | patronage, but atomic partner- ‘ ship.” West Germany is the strong- est economic power in West Eu- rope with the strongest army and the strongest currency. It would be extremely naive to imagine that it would not exer- cise the dominant position in- side such a federation, however loudly Herr Strauss may dis- claim any such wish. The United States of Europe would not merely embrace the Western part. It must “bind the East and South-East European nations to Western Europe by cultural and economic ties.” It would aim to incorporate Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hun- gary: and the’ rest of East Eu- rope, while excluding the So- viet Union—Strauss’ prime ene- my. And this re-formed Europe must accept “the adoption and representation of the German demands for unification of their country.” This means to accept West Germany's annexation of + German Democratic Repub- Cc. This is Hitler’s Greater Europe under a new signboard, and now including Britain, according to the plans of Herr Strauss. These ere not the day dreams of a provincial Bavarian. Strauss is the most powerful politician in West Germany, which was amply demonstrated by his poli- tical comeback. He was forced to resign over his appalling role in the Der Spiegel affair five years ago. The Social Democrats and Free De- mocrats swore never to serve with him in Government. He retreated to reactionary Munich, where he is the unchal- lenged boss of the Bavarian Christian Socialists, and from there he fought bacl:. trauss: the man to watch AQUUUEUUAUCUEUROUCQUUSOQAOOUUETOOAA CUAL CCGEREEEOSESOOOASOCUOUOEEEOEOEGEEEECUOTEOCEROEGEEOROG TUES CEEEEEEOOEEO OUTER EEE Within three years he was able to use his Bavarian votes to force Erhardt to resign and to set up the ex-nazi Kiesinger as Chancellor in a_ coalition which included the Social De- mocrats and himself. As Bonn Defence Minister he made the Bundeswehr _ the strongest land force in Europe. As Minister of Finance he decid- ed the ruthless policies which at the expense of the man in the street have made the West German mark the strongest capi- talist currency. Now, with new elections on the way, he has rushed in from the wings as champion of that same man in the street, savior of the mark and the man to unite Germany. He is extremely _intelli- gent and has rare verbal sleight of hand. He does not deny that he wants to be Chancellor, but turns the issue by saying: “I would sooner grow pineapples in Alaska.” He has never denied that he would enter a coalition with the neo-nazi National Democratic Party, and says that this party should not be banned unless the Left parties are banned too. Verbal juggling makes it im- possible to pin Herr Strauss down about nuclear weapons. He wants “a European Govern- ment with a European integrated nuclear potential.” Meantime, he attacks the non-proliferation treaty treaty as “a new Ver- sailles.” Every time Herr Strauss drops a clanger, it is as well to look for the reason. It is seldom un- intentional. © ¥ He caused a flurry among the Christian Democrats by oppos- ing “all beginnings of a new So- viet-American global arrange- & § i ment” because Russia favored the European status quo. But not long after, Chancellor Kiesinger was stating that the status quo in Europe must be changed—in favor of West Ger- many of course. As the undoubted spokesman of West German Big Business Herr Strauss’ plan in its first phase is German-dominated mo- nopolies on a Continental scale as the counter to the “American challenge.” It is not because he is pro- British that he is the most insis- tent advocate of Britain’s entry into Europe. One of Hitler’s not- to-be-repeated mistakes was let- ting Britain get away. As a master of the technique of the carrot and the stick, Herr Strauss offers the carrot of Brit- ish entry into Europe and uses the West German mark as a stick to belabor the pound’s weak legs. Is it pure coincidence that so much is being written in the _ BONN AND THE BOMB fresh, the molecules of U-238 are gradually filtered out, leaving the remainder richer in U-235. The Americans have two such plants, the Soviet Union also two, and Britain, France and China one each. These plants each use as much power as a large city. The high-speed gas centrifuge method may do the job more cheaply. A long line of centri- fuges, each like a high-speed spin-drier, would progressively separate the isotopes, producing an enriched uranium, that is one with an increased content of U-235. The immediate purpose of de- veloping the centrifuge method is to meet, the growing demand for enriched uranium for power stations. This demand is expected to in- crease fivefold in the next ten years. Uranium enriched by 5 percent improves power-station efficiency and European centri- fuges could reduce dependence on American fuel sources. The centrifuge method was suggested during the war, but rejected because such high-speed machines were their only labora- tory instruments. Now, with new materials, it is possible to build reliable high- speed machines for uranium separation on a large scale. They spin very fast, 50,000 to 100,000 r.p.m., to develop the’ forces that begin to throw out the heavier U-238 in the same way that the spin-drier throws water off the clothes. Cascades of tens of thousands of these machines would be needed. The capital cost would be comparable with that of the diffusion plant, but the power used would be less. The advantage to the non- nuclear power is that it could start off with a modest number of machines to make enough for a bomb or two, and then add more machines later. The process for making uran- ium enriched by about 5 percent for power stations is exactly the same as'that for enriching to 90 percent to make the trigger for an H-bomb. Just keep on spin- ning longer with more machines. Holland, a non-nuclear Power, is said to have the greatest know-how and together with Britain and West Germany is in a hush-hush project to see just how feasible and economical it would be to make long lines of speedy spinners. The industrial possibilities of the project are great enough to i\ i British Conservative press today about this man? Careful reading leads to the conclusion that the Establishment already sees him as the coming man in West Ger- many. ' We are asked to console our- selves with the hope that al- though his policies sound deplor- able, they are really only to get the votes, and once in power Herr Strauss might be ail right. The path to appeasement is again being smoothed, There are voices in Britain arguing that inside a Greater Europe West Germany would be less danger- ous . But suppose that nuclear- armed West Germans—in or out of a federation — decided that the time was ripe for “integrat- ing” the’ Socialist countries? There would not be much in West Europe to stop them. Which is more or less where we came in in 1939 — with a nuclear difference. (Morning Star) y sooveevaneeeevccuuuneveevvocanuneseenvcsuococeesgeenegnvsovevesususnuuuesuueceveeeesnuuuueeeennuuasouoceeeuuuoueeensuououuuseeneeeeegquuuouuUenegnccueeeesQQUoOUUeEEGEEUAOUOUEEEUOOUUEEEEEEEOOOUUOUREREEOUO OOO OOOO EEEEG OU OOO HTH encourage secrecy apart from military implications. Britain’s technological contri- bution may be in the use of the new’ wonder material based on carbon fibres to give the spin- ing drums enough strength and stiffness. The program is nominally under the Atomic Energy Au- thority, but there are strong commercial interests too. A decision on whether to go ahead with the plan by the three coun- tries may be taken in months rather than years. Other countries, including Japan and France, are not likely to halt their own advanced pro- grams if the three go ahead. Suggestions have been made that West Germany could get round the Paris agreements by backing a plant on Dutch soil. Others say that the pioneering Dutch are being hobbled by their allies who will prolong discus- sions to catch up with Dutch know-how. Other powers are not likely to fall behind in wanting to spin their way into the nuclear club if the method will work. The danger is of proliferation of nuclear-weapon makers at a time when world opinion would like to see a_ reduction of tension. —Morning Star PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FEBRUARY 21, 1969—Page 7